Fuse block and fuse therefor



Nov. 22, 1932.

E. A. FRANCE ET AL FUSE BLOCK AND FUSE THEREFOR Original Filed Sept. 1.1, 1929 In VsntoPsI .hT'IlE-St A France, .Knoderen by @Q/ 2% Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST A. FRANCE, 01 BRI-DGEPORT, AND HODIER- G. KETQDEREB, GE FAIRFIELD, CORY- NECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO ELECTBIG GQMPANY, A CORPORATION @F NW Y'URE FUSE BLOCK. AND IsUBE THEEEFQR habituation filed September 11, 1939, serial No. 391,879. Benewed hlay a5, 1932.

The invention relates to fuse devices adapted for use in a house wiring system. More particularly the invention relates to a type of device of the above character especially adapted to be inserted in a standard form of container located in the wall of a building provided with such a wiring system adapted also to be made a part of standard equipment for such a system.

In order to increase the demand and reduce the cost of manufacture, distribution and installation of equipment for house wiring systems, it is essential to standardize the units of the system and to reduce to a min imum the number of such units and to so design such units they may be installed or interchanged readily without the demand of high. grade labor.

It is an object of our invention to contribute to the accomplishment of such results by providing an improved unit for such a system in the form of afuse block and fuses thereon and an improved mounting therefor, such unit having a minimum number of parts, being of simple design and adapted to be assembled and installed with a minimum of. operations and labor and demanding a low maintenance cost.

The invention will be more readily understood from the following specification and claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 shows the device of the invention in plan View; Fig. 2 shows the device of Fig. 1 in elevation; Fig. 3 shows the device as one of the elements in a house wiring system, together with the supporting meanstherefor, the elements being shown in so-called exploded view; Fig. lshows the frame for the fuse elements and shows also all of the metal connections and terminals for the fuses and lines; Fig. 5 shows one of the fuse elements in elevation; Fig. 6 shows in perspective two of the metal terminals of the, frame Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic layout of the circuit connection in and to the'unitwith the terminals on the block, and shows also the connections to the cables; and Fig. 8 is a modified form of the fuse of Fig. 5.

50 Referring more in detail to the drawing,

in Fig. 3 there is shown a lath plaster wall with a hanger 2 secured to the stud 8. The hanger serves to support a box or recen tacle' i, the body of which latter is ad d to be inserted in the compartment 5 hanger and secured to said hanger by ny suitable means, as for example, by screws t, which extend through tne flange i and en threaded holes 2 in the hanger. receptacle is the subjectmatter of applies tion Serial No. 391,900, tiled in the names of Carlson and Knoderer, bearing the same filing date as this application. "When in place, the flange 7 of the receptacle is seated on the rim 8 of the hanger or on the plaster 9 about said ring. The receptacle has a re movable bottom element 10 to which a block 11 of insulating material may be secured, as for example, by means of screws 12. These screws are free to turn in the bloclr in which they are held against longitudinal movement by pins 13, see Fig. 2. For convenience washers13 are inserted between the block and the pins. As shown, the threaded portions of these screws are adapted to engage the threaded holes 14 in the base element 10.: This element is provided also with holes 15 arranged about the central axis of the base, which holes are adapted to receive each a. cable 16. As shown in Fig. 3, two such cables are represented. However, the number may be varied. In Fig. 7 five are indicated. Of these five conductors, one leads from the power line to the fuse block and the other four lead from the fuse block to the load circuits. It may be assumed for the purpose of specification that each cable contains two conductors. One conductor in each cable may be connected to the base 10, for example, by means of screws 17 or by a number of such screws, thus grounding one conductor in each cable to the base. This conductor may be bare. Each of the other conductors in the cable is connected to a terminal in the frame, Fig. 4:. Each of these terminals corresponds to a fuse, four such fuses, 19, 20, 21 and 22, being shown, see Fig. 1. In making the connections to v the fuse block terminals the cables are first drawn in from behind the wall through the bottom opening 23 in the recep- 10 9 by means of the screws 12, which may be tacle 4, as indicated in Fig. 3, in order to simplify and expedite the work. After such connections are completed the block 11 is secured to the base 10 by the screws 12 and the base and fuse block are inserted in the box with the base seated on the rim at the bottom of the receptacle about the hole 23.

The top face 24 of the block 11 should be adjusted substantially flush with the top of the flange 7. This adjustment can be made turned to raise or lower the block 11 with respect to the base 10. This adjustment may be made before or after the elements 10 and 11 are inserted in the receptacle and in order that it may be made after, the holes 25' are provided in the cover ring 25 through which the screws 12 may be turned. When the block 11 is in place, the cover 25 is placed over the receptacle 4 and screwed to the flange 7 by means of the screws 26, thus clamping the base 10 securely in the bottom of thereceptacle through the medium of the block 11. Inasmuch as the upper terminals or heads 54 of the fuses project above the surface 24, cover 25 is provided with holes 27, through which the heads of the fuses project and through which the fuses .may be replaced.

, With reference to the frame shown in Fig. 4, this frame may be slipped like a saddle over the block 11, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The frame in the particular arrangement shown comprises a central metal piece 28 from the metal arms A, B, C, D of which depend strips of insulation 29, 30, 31, 32. Arms A, B, C and -D are electrically connected each, for example, by rivets 27 with the corresponding fuse terminal clips 33, 34, 35, 36. These rivets insure electrical connection between these fuse clips and the corresponding arms of the central metal element 28, which latter is provided with a terminal 38. to which the wire connection, as for example, from the cable conductors may be secured by means of a screw 39, as shown. The strips 29, 30, 31 and 32 are providedat their opposite ends with corresponding fuse terminal clips 40, 41, 42, 43, similar to clips 33, 34, 35, 36. The fuse clips 40 through 43 are in turn provided with terminal elements 44, 45, 46, 47, WhlCh are electrically connected with the corresponding fuse clips in the same manner as are the arms A through D with the clips 33 through 36. The terminals 44 through 47 are provided with means whereby wires may be attached thereto, as for example, screws 48, 49, 50, 51. As shown, the fuses are inserted between the pairs of clips 33 and 40; 34 and 41; 35 and 42, and 36 and 43. The fuses are preferably in the form of capsules, as shown in Fig. 5, having the usual metal bands 52 and 53, to which the ends of the fuse wire 1n the capsule are connected and which bands engage the fuse terminals of the fuse block. On top, each capsule is provided with a ter- As indicated in Fig. 2, for example, when each fuse is inserted through the cover it is pressed home until-the bottom face 54 of the capsule strikes the transverse lower portion of the corresponding terminal. For example,'thi s is indicated by the fuse 22, the lower surface of which is shown engaging the transverse lower portion of terminal '47 Fig. 2. By this arrangement, the proper location of the capsule is insured.

In the form of device of Fig. 8 the head 54 is provided with a flange 55 to prevent the fuse ever from falling into the receptacle and to prevent anyone from accidentally touching the metal portion 52 of the fuse.

Referring to Fig. 2, the block 11 is provided with grooves or depressions 57 which extends up underneath the screws 48, 49, 50, 51 and 39, for receiving the ends of the screws. As indicated in the drawing, all of the terminals 48, 49, 50, 51 and 39 are conveniently located substantially along a transverse plane.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the fuse carrying frame is secured to the block 11 by'means of a screw 59 which passes through central-frame element 28 and directly engages threads in the block 11. Preferably a threaded metal tube 60 into which the screw 59 threads is embedded in theblock.

As previously indicated, one conductor in each of the cables 16 may be connected to the base element 10 by means of the screw 17. One of these cables-comes from the power lines and the others run to load circuits of the system such as switches, convenience outlets, lamp brackets and the like through other receptacles such as receptacle 4. Each of the other. conductors in the cables are secured by their respective screws 39, 48, 49, 50 and 51 to the terminals 38, 44, 45, 46 and 47, the other conductor of the cable leading from the power line being connected to terminal 38 and-the other conductors of the cables leading to the load circuits being connected to terminals 44,45, 46 and 47. With this arrangement the ceptacles the corresponding fuse will blow and open up that branch of the circuit- If one of the fuses blows it can be quickly one of the cables leading toward the other reand readily removed through its correspondring opening 2? in the cover 25, Fig, 2, and a new ruse substituted without the necessity of opening up the receptacle. Furthermore, in the event that a fuse bloclr becomes defective in any Way it may be readily removed as a unit and anew one substituted, or the metal frame Fig, .el be removed as a Whole from the block and a new frame substituted.

It will be seen, therefore, that the invention is a fuse device in new and convenient form, very compact in arrangement and especially to into a receptacle of standard design for a house Wiring system and. mounted so that it maybe inserted or removed f om the container as a unit, the being adjustable so that its longitudin a l dimension may be adjusted to exactly lit the container, The 216W device is provided roved means for holding the fuse capsules so that t y may be readily inserted or removed rrorn the clips, notwithstanding the that the is imprisoned in the retacle by cover thereof The arrangec t is such as to malre possible to readily fuse the device no danger of any metal portions is "we nave elected to describe our in vention with reference specific form of device such as illust ted in the drawing, We o not vvish be limited to such form, inasncetions vvithin the spirit of the invention and scope of the claims contained herein. We claim as and desire to secure Letters Patent oi the United States, is: -U A fuse support comprising a bloclr of in-- suiating material and a mounted therecomprising a plurality of pairs of spaced fuse holding clips, the clips of each being insulated from each other, and terminals for connecting conductors to said clips.

2. A tuse support comprising a block oi insulating material and a frame mounted thereon comprising a plurality of pairs of spaced ruse holding clips, the clips of each pair being insulated from each other and arranged till along the sides of the bloclr, and terminals for connecting conductors to said clips.

3., A. fuse support comprising a bloclr of insulating material and a frame mounted thereon comprising a central part which engages an end Wall of the bloclr and a plurality of pairs o'l spaced tuse holding clips carried by said central part and arranged along the side Walls of the bloclr, the clips of each pair being insulated from each other, and termi nals for connecting conductors to said clips.

i. A fuse support comprising a block or" insulating material, a plurality of pairs of fuse supporting clips arranged axially of the body in spaced relation to each other, the clips of each pair being insulated from each other, a terminal common to one clip of each ch as We contemplate variations and modipair, and a separate terminal for the other clip of each pair,

5, A fuse support comprising a block of insulating material having recesses on opposite sides, pairs of fuse clips located in said recesses, the clips of each pair being insulated from each other, a central metal piece which embraces one end of the block and serves as a support for said pairs of clips, one clip of each pair being electrically connected thereto, a terminal on said central metal piece, and a separate terminal for the other clip of each pair,

ii, in a Wiring structure, the combination of a receptacle having an open end and a fuse support adapted to pass axially into the receptacle through said open end, said fuse support comprising a block of insulating 'material and pairs or" spaced fuse supporting clips arranged axially of the block, the clips each pair being insulated from each other and having their common axis parallel to the axis of the hloclr whereby fuses supported by the clips present one end to the open end of the receptacle.

"3!, in a Wiring structure, the combination a receptacle having an open end, a fuse support adapted to pass axially into the receptacle through open end, said fuse support comprising ahloclr of insulating maal and pairs oil spaced tuse supporting s arranged axially the block, the clips or each pair being insulated from each other and having their common axis parallel to the axis of the block whereby fuses supported by clips present one end to the open end of the receptacle, and a cover for the receptacle, said cover having openings through which fuses may be inserted into and withdrawn from the clips,

8. in a Wiring structure, the combination of a receptacle having an open end, a base adapted to be inserted into the receptacle through said open end, said base having openings for the passage of cables, a block oi insulating material attached to said base, and pairs of spaced fuse supporting clips carried by said block, said bloclr and clips being adapted to be inserted into the recep tacle through said open end,

9. A fuse supporting structure adapted to be inserted into a Wiring receptacle comprising a block or" insulating material and a frame carried" thereby having a part Which cmbraces one end of the block and pairs of fuse supporting along the sides of the block, the clips of each pair being insulated from each other.

10. Ina wiring structure, the combination of a receptacle having an open end, a base adapted to be inserted into the receptacle through said open end, said base having openings for the passage of cables a block of insulating material, pairs of spaced fuse supporting CllpS carried by said block, said clips carried thereby and spaced,

block and-clips being adapted to be inserted into the receptacle throu h said open end, and means for fastening sai baseand said block in the receptacle.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set 5 out hands this sixth day of September, 1929.

ERNEST A. FRANCE. HOMER G. KNODERER. 

